Influencer-Fuelled Misogyny in Schools Sparks Fears of Links to Future Domestic and Sexual Abuse

Misogynistic Influencers Like Andrew Tate Influencing Children as Young as 10

Almost 60% of UK teachers believe social media is negatively affecting student behaviour, according to a new NASUWT poll. Influencer Andrew Tate, known for his extreme misogynistic views, was named repeatedly by educators as a key source of influence on young boys.

One teacher described how 10-year-old pupils refused to speak to her simply because she was a woman, citing admiration for Tate. Another reported students writing essays praising Tate’s view that women are men’s “property”.

From Online Hate to Real-World Harm

These aren’t isolated classroom incidents as they reflect deeper societal issues. Experts warn that whilst misogyny itself isn’t a crime, internalising misogynistic attitudes during adolescence is strongly linked to later behaviours associated with coercive control, harassment, and domestic abuse.

Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT, said there is an urgent need for cross-agency collaboration: “This is not just bad behaviour – it’s a warning sign.”

Tackling the Online Root of Offline Violence

The Department for Education acknowledged the impact of harmful influencers and said it is supporting schools through updated curricula and digital safety resources.

The recent Netflix series Adolescence, which explores the murder of a teenage girl by a male classmate, has prompted renewed debate about online radicalisation. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer supported its availability in schools and called for a national response to the “whirlpool of misogyny” affecting young boys.

Urgent Need for Education, Support, and Regulation

The Liberal Democrats called the findings “shocking, but not surprising”. They’re pushing for a new taskforce and want fines from Online Safety Act breaches redirected into a nationwide “safer screens” initiative for schools.

A separate BBC survey found over one-third of secondary school teachers had witnessed misogynistic behaviour in just the past week. 40% of them felt underprepared to handle it.

A Call for Society-Wide Action

Teachers warn this growing misogyny should be treated not simply as a behavioural issue, but as a precursor to future domestic and sexual abuse. When children absorb messages of male dominance and female inferiority online, the risk of real-world harm increases.

Without intervention, we risk raising a generation for whom misogyny isn’t just online rhetoric—it becomes the foundation of abusive adult relationships.

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